Last Dinosaurs
In A Million Years


4.0
excellent

Review

by DaveyBoy EMERITUS
March 8th, 2012 | 81 replies


Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Aussie indie-pop that uses influences from practically every continent.

While there is no reason why it should not hold true for musicians from any country, often an appealing factor for Australian outfits is their ability to use many worldwide influences in conjunction with their own home-grown sound, to good effect. On their debut LP ‘In a Million Years’, Brisbane indie-pop quartet Last Dinosaurs have wisely done exactly that, taking in the sounds of practically every continent to craft what is ultimately a satisfying release. There’s some African percussion here, a hint of the Caribbean there, while mainland Europe (Phoenix), the U.K (Franz Ferdinand) and America (Vampire Weekend) are all represented. Throw in the fact that three of these four Aussies have Japanese heritage, and you can easily see why there is a veritable melting-pot of influences evident on this album.

The first five tracks here are a consistent and immediate batch of well-executed, toe-tapping indie-pop tunes that make it difficult for any listener to keep still. Take a fancy to one of the songs from the LPs front half and you are sure to be pleased by the accompanying four. Enthusiastically infectious guitar lines and vibrantly summery vocals are the main conjoining thread between these tracks, with catchy singles ‘Zoom’ and ‘Time & Place’ being nicely complemented by the jangly guitars of ‘I Can’t Help You’ and ‘Andy’, while ‘Sunday Night’ brings the tropical element. An argument could be made, however, that all five are a variation on the same theme, with too much reliance on Lachlan Caskey's sublime guitar-work... Cue the ambient, sub two minute instrumental centrepiece ‘Satellites’, which ushers in the relatively more experimental and diverse latter half of ‘In a Million Years’.

While the production is effectively – maybe too – slick throughout, there is a concerted effort to add some subtle grit to the band’s sound, which gives off a welcome rockier edge to even the poppiest tunes. This works a treat on the new-wave influences of ‘Weekend’, with keys and guitar coalescing as beautifully as Sean Caskey’s relaxed vocals integrate with drummer Dan Koyama’s up-tempo beat. Unfortunately, the aforementioned rock aspect is taken too far on ‘I Can’t Decide’, with the grungy alt-rock tune not suiting any member of the quartet and mixing uncomfortably with the outfit’s trademark jangly sound. Meanwhile, competent ballad ‘Used To Be Mine’ is expectedly nondescript (despite a surprising F-bomb popping up in the sing-along bridge), and closer ‘Repair’ is a so-so stab at the now customary all-encompassing epic, which has as many bad points as it does good.

In fact, it really is a shame that ‘In a Million Years’ did not close with highlight EP holdover ‘Honolulu’, since it revisits the album’s first half and effectively summarizes all of the band’s strengths. Furthermore, for an LP which begins with a chorus of "In a million years when we're older, finally we can be part of history", it would have been a fitting finale to close with a refrain of “The story only just began, surely it should never ever end”. That may be taking it to the extreme, but on the evidence provided by this addictively hook-laden debut, Last Dinosaurs will indeed be around for some time yet. While overly familiar and not exactly innovative, the room for improvement factor is high since the oldest member of the band is just 22. Fun, enjoyable and extremely crowd-pleasing, 'In a Million Years' is a very likeable release which should appeal to a wide audience... and deserves to be heard as such.

Recommended Tracks: Honolulu, Weekend, Time & Place & Zoom.



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user ratings (85)
3.8
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
DaveyBoy
Emeritus
March 8th 2012


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Not quite this years Givers, but still pretty darn good.

ThroneOfAgony
March 8th 2012


3485 Comments


Great review man, although i'm not a fanatic of indie pop

Sowing
Moderator
March 8th 2012


44645 Comments


Saw aussie in the summary, automatically thought of davey boy

tommygun
March 8th 2012


27117 Comments


Dunno about this one Davey, it's not doing much for me. Triple J has been pushing a lot of shit lately. Good review though

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
March 8th 2012


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks Throne.



Sowing, what have you done with Streetlight?



To each their own I guess TG. Indie-pop is all the same to many.

tommygun
March 9th 2012


27117 Comments


Yeah I like some but I've grown a bit tired of it lately, probably just need a break from it! I'll check this out again in a few weeks

LifeAsAChipmunk
March 9th 2012


4852 Comments


Snowing's got a point, Davey. I should listen to this, I very recently discovered that many of my friends and I are hipsters.

chambered69
March 9th 2012


1253 Comments


god this sounds terrible great review

Sowing
Moderator
March 9th 2012


44645 Comments


@davey: what?

Girvo
March 9th 2012


32 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Great review man, and a kick-arse release from my hometown. Great fun live, too.

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
March 9th 2012


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks chambered... I think. I guess I got the point across then.



Thanks Girvo. It's definitely not a 4.5 for me (a low 4, in fact), but I like it.



Sowing, you remember Sputnik's other Aussie staffer Alex 'StreetlightRock' Silveri. I reckon you've kidnapped him.

HBFS
March 9th 2012


1580 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

addiiiiiiiiiiicted to this. dat guitar hook in zoom, my god

clercqie
March 9th 2012


6525 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I'd probably like this, is there a stream available for this somewhere?

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
March 9th 2012


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

dat guitar hook in... (insert 3/4 of the songs here), my god.



This should be it clercqie: http://www.myspace.com/wearelastdinosaurs/music/albums/in-a-million-years-explicit-18372659



clercqie
March 9th 2012


6525 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Sweet! Thanks man : )

Wildorwhat
March 9th 2012


88 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Sounds way too influenced, bores me.

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
March 9th 2012


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I do think a few people will have that issue with this album... I didn't kick off the review with the "influences" subject for no reason. It's just a matter of how much each listener can look past that & simply enjoy what is on offer. It definitely doesn't bore me, that's for certain.

mvood
March 9th 2012


818 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

really cheerful and happy, just what I needed. and good review as always DaveyBoy

Aids
March 9th 2012


24549 Comments


classic DaveyBoy rec'd by reviewer section

I'm guessing this is a classic DaveyBoy album as well, which means I should get it

AliW1993
March 9th 2012


7511 Comments


Hmmm I'm always sceptical with your positive scores haha

I guess I should give this a listen?



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